Put the Pedal to the Plastic When The Great LEGO® Race Opens March 23 at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort

Brick fans, start your engines! LEGOLAND®Florida Resort has announced Friday, March 23 as the grand opening date for its newest attraction, The Great LEGO® Race. It’s the first virtual reality (VR) roller coaster experience designed for kids and represents the first time the LEGO brand and minifigure characters have been integrated with VR technology in a theme park attraction.

Developed under the supervision of Merlin Magic Making, the global creative and delivery division of LEGOLAND Florida Resort parent company Merlin Entertainments Group, The Great LEGO Race will transform the existing Project X roller coaster into a high-octane, virtual reality (VR) experience that puts guests in the driver’s seat for a rollicking race against a colorful lineup of LEGO minifigure characters.Wearing optional VR headsets, riders will experience the action from every direction while riding the roller coaster – up, down, forward, backward and all points in between – in a dazzling environment where everything is made of LEGO bricks.

With animated action taking place on the ground and in the air, the wild and wacky race pits guests against a pirate, wizard, surfer and pharaoh as they steer LEGO-built vehicles like a rocket-powered windsurfing rig, a stylish scooter fueled by espresso and an ornately canopied bed (called a “litter”) carried by mummy servants. Wearing optional VR headsets, riders will experience the action from every direction up, down, forward, backward and all points in between while riding the roller coaster – in a dazzling environment where everything is made of LEGO bricks.

Developed under the supervision of Merlin Magic Making, the global creative and delivery division of LEGOLAND Florida Resort parent company Merlin Entertainments Group, The Great LEGO Race will transform the existing Project X roller coaster into a high-octane, virtual reality (VR) experience that puts guests in the driverís seat for a rollicking race against a colorful lineup of LEGO minifigure characters.Wearing optional VR headsets, riders will experience the action from every direction while riding the roller coaster ñ up, down, forward, backward and all points in between ñ in a dazzling environment where everything is made of LEGO bricks.

In November, reporters received a sneak preview of the 360-degree adventure during the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) trade show in Orlando.

A similar preview in MackMedia’s Coastiality mobile app (www.coastiality.com/en/) is building anticipation for the VR adventure by showcasing its state-of-the-art visuals. The free app is available for iOS, Android and Oculus devices from the App Store, Google Play and the Oculus Store and can be enjoyed with or without a VR headset.

Guests must be at least 42 inches (1.06m) tall to ride The Great LEGO Race, or be accompanied by a responsible adult at least 48 inches (1.2m) tall. The VR headsets are designed to fit both adults and children, and can be adjusted for comfort. The VR experience is intended for children 6 and up, and guests can choose to ride the roller coaster without wearing the headset.

After crossing the finish line on The Great LEGO Race, guests can switch gears and enjoy an all-new treat at Funnel Cake Factory, which will open this spring just steps away from the roller coaster in the theme park’s LEGO® Technic area. The highly themed pit stop will offer freshly made-to-order funnel cakes with toppings including fresh fruit, powdered sugar and soft-serve ice cream.